Nine out of 10 people here are concerned about Singapore’s food waste, a new survey has found.

The majority also want food and beverage (F&B) companies here to donate their unsold and near-expiry food that is safe to eat to the needy or sell it at a discount.

Students from the National University of Singapore’s Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme, working with new non-profit group Zero Waste SG, conducted the online survey from February to April this year.

– 90% of consumers are concerned about the food waste generated by F&B companies – 95% of consumers want F&B companies to do more to reduce food waste – Consumers are willing to support F&B companies which adopt strategies to reduce food waste

Singapore, 5 Aug 2015 – Majority of consumers are concerned about food waste generated by food and beverage (F&B) companies and would encourage and support the companies to reduce food waste, according to a recent survey conducted to understand consumer attitudes toward food waste generated by the F&B sector in Singapore. The study was conducted from Feb to Apr this year by the students under the Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme from the National University of Singapore, in partnership with the new non-profit organisation, Zero Waste SG.

According to the National Environment Agency, about 790,000 tonnes of food waste was generated in Singapore in 2014 and only 13% of this waste is recycled. Consumers can reduce food waste on an individual level, but can also play an important role in advocating for greater efforts and best practices in food waste reduction by the F&B sector. With this premise, the study aims to understand consumers’ attitude towards food waste and how they hope F&B companies (including retail shops selling food; bakeries; cafes; restaurants; food courts; canteens; hawker centres; markets; supermarkets; and caterers) can contribute to the reduction of food waste. Read more

Singapore generated almost 800 million kg of food waste in 2013, and only 13% of it was recycled. We can all play a part in understanding the issues and reducing food waste. Here’s 3 things you can do today:

1) Watch this video by Channel NewsAsia Connect to understand the food waste problem in Singapore.

2) Visit our Save Food Cut Waste website to find out how individuals and households can play a part in reducing food waste in our daily lives and at home. Follow the tips and start reducing food waste along our food cycle.

3) We are working with NUS students from the Chua Thian Poh Community Leadership Programme to conduct a survey to understand consumer’s attitudes towards food waste in the food and beverage (F&B) sector in Singapore. We hope to show the survey results to the F&B companies in order to nudge them to reduce food waste.